Diagonal rolling mill

ABSTRACT

A diagonal or piercing rolling mill with vertically disposed rolls and horizontal guide disks extending laterally into the pass, but mounted on pivot arms so as to permit retraction and replacement of the disks. The arms are pivoted outside of the housing and extend alongside the pass. Motors for the guide disks are also disposed outside of the housing and are geared to the disks as journalled on the arms.

[Inited States Patent Bellmann et a1. 1 1 Nov. 5, 1974 1 DIAGONAL ROLLING MILL 1,280,683 10/1918 Di eseher 72/100 1751 Manfred Beflmann, Breitscheid; [332??? 3/1313 1?.5Ei2371iji31i11113: iiiiijj: 35/32 1 Hem, Mulheim, both of 2,005,125 6/1935 Bannister 72/% Germany 2,042,832 6/1936 Dieschcr.. 72/96 X 2,064,453 12/1936 Wheeler... 72/225 [73] Ass1gnee: Mannesmannrohren-Werke Akfiengesellschaft Dusseldorf, 3,566,653 3/1971 Unrath 72/96 Germany Primary Examiner-C. W. Lanham [22] Flled' 1972 Assistant Examiner.loseph A. Walkowski [21] Appl. No.: 305,087 Attorney, Agent, or FirmRalf H. Siegemund 30 ForeinA l' t' P' 't Dta g pp 1ca 10!] non y a ABSTRACT Nov. 11, 1971 Germany 2156595 A diagonal or piercing rolling mill with vertically dis- U-S- a posed rolls and horizontal disks extending later 72/367 ally into the pass, but mounted on pivot arms so as to I 7 permit retra tion and replacement of the disks The [58] Field of Search 72/95, 96, 100, 98, 99, arms are pivoted outside of the housing and extend 72/212, 221, 367, 368, 225, 226, 206, 208, alongside the pass. Motors for the guide disks are alSO 250 disposed outside of the housing and are geared to the disks as journalled on the arms. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Swett 72/250 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures mammnv s dam 3.845646 sass: m 2

DIAGONAL ROLLING MILL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in diagonal rolling mills, and here particularly to mills of the type using two rolls for piercing solid billets by the Mannesmann process of making seamless tubing.

Diagonal and piercing rolling mills of the type referred to above usually employ rolls which have their axes arranged in a horizontal plane. The solid billet to be rolled is supported in that the pass is closed from below by means of a straight edge, which is disposed between the rolls. The pass may additionally be closed from above by means of another straight edge. Some mills are provided with driven guide disks in lieu of the straight edges. These disks are more expensive but wear better and need less frequent replacement than straight edges.

More than eighty years ago rolling mills became known with rolls disposed one above the other (rather than next to each other). The rolling stand had two housings, spaced-apart in direction of rolling. The pass was bounded by straight edges. This arrangement was developed in the beginning of the Mannesmann process of making seamless pipes, but remained without further development. The trend of development actually lead to rolls arranged in a horizontal plane.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to improve diagonal rolling mills with particular guide disks and in such a manner that these disks are easily accessible and can be replaced without having to change the position of the rolls. The guide disk system is to be equipped with a simple drive and is to be constructed for easy adjustment of the disposition of these disks on the rolling pass. The rolling mill to be improved has a rolling stand with a pair of rolls whose axes are inclined to the rolling axis and to each other. Also, there is a pair of driven guide disks which are staggeredly arranged in the plane transverse to the direction and axis of rolling. In accordance with the specific improvements, it is suggested to arrange the rolls one above the other on the mill floor, and the guide disks are provided with vertical shafts; there being apertures in the roll housing through which the guide disks engage the billet in the pass, from opposite sides. Additionally, it is suggested to support the guide disks on the housing, but laterally offset to the pass, to permit retraction of the disks from the pass, in opposite directions.

In accordance with a further improvement, the guide disks are journalled in journal blocks on the housing; these blocks can be displaced transverse to the rolling axis and parallel (or colinear) to each other, but in such a manner that the dispositions are restorable. In particular, the arrangement for journalling and supporting the guide disks must remain independent from settling example, by means of eccentrically mounted bushings.

In either case, the guide disks can be removed from their disposition on the pass through lateral displacement from the lateral access opening in the stand. There is no other equipment in the way which could impede that displacement. The disks are driven either by motors disposed outside of the stand or via linkage and spindles. The drive mechanism for the disks may be disposed laterally, outside and below the pass and is, thus, protected against contamination.

The drives for the disks impart a particular rotational speed upon the disks. In the known equipment, the value of the peripheral speed is about ten to twentyfold the speed of the rolled and pierced billet and as passing through the stand. The motors needed here were quite large and powerful. Actually, they could not even be mounted on the rolling stand.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, it is suggested to mount these drive motors for the disks to the pivot amrs (if used) and to rate the motors for a peripheral speed of the disks at about four times the longitudinal advance of the rolled pipe. The force imparted by the disks upon the pipe is not reduced. Moreover, the disk as rotating faster than the pipe advances, favors the forming process relative to a straight edge.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention, it is believed that the invention, the objects and features of the invention and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section through a mill stand of a skew rolling mill, improved in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross section of the stand shown in FIG. I, the section plane taken in the level of the guide disks.

Proceeding now to the detailed description of the drawings, the Figures show a roll housing I for a diagonal rolling mill with cover 2 and two rolls 3 and 4 which are arranged in the housing one above each other. The rolls are oblique to the normal of the plane of the drawing in FIG. 1 (see FIG. 2 as to roll 4). The rolls have journals 41 and 42 respectively, indicated in phantom lines in FIG. 1 in such a manner so as to denote the orientation of the relative skew angles of the rolls to which they pertain.

Reference numerals 5 and 6 refer to construction for synchronously adjusting the position of the rolls by operation of adjusting drives 7 and 8. The rolling stand has upright disposition on foundation and mill floor 9.

The rolls 3 and 4 revolve in similar directions and work on a pipe 10 pierced by a mandrel 11. A pair of guide disks l2 and 13 engage the pipe 10 from opposite sides in a horizontal plane of the pass and between the rolls 3 and 4. The disks l2 and 13 have groove contour on their periphery and preventing the billet from assuming oval cross section. It can readily be seen from FIG. 1 that rolls and disks are staggeredly or alternatingly arranged around the axis of rolling.

Disks 12 and 13 are respectively driven by motors 16 and 17, whose output shafts are geared to the disks by the gears 18 and 19, respectively. The disks 12 and 13 are placed on spindles and locked thereto by threaded fasteners 34 and 35. The spindles or axles for the disks carry gears which mesh with gears on the drive shafts of motors 16 and 17. The spindles for the disks are respectively journalled on pivot arms 20 and 21 for pivoting into and out of lateral access openings and 15 in the housing 1. Upon pivoting the arms, the disk spindles are moved into and out of gear.

Particulars of the arms and 21 can be derived from FIG. 2. Pivots are established by eccentric bushings 24 and 25, on but outside of housing 1. Arrow 26 denotes the direction of rolling, of the rolling axis and of pipe advance. Disks 12 and 13 are, therefor, mounted for pivoting on vertical axes, transverse to the direction 26, but the bushings permit adjustment of the arms in direction 26 of rolling, so that the disks can be properly positioned along the pass.

The free ends of pivot arms 20 and 21 are held in position by means of brackets or clamps 26 and 27 with cylinders 28, 29, but threaded adjusting spindles 30 and 31 permit accurate positioning of the pivot arms so as to determine the disposition of the portions of disks 12 and 13 as projecting into the rolling pass.

For replacing worn disks 12 and '13, cylinders 28 and 29 are retracted and clamps or brackets 26, 27 pivot so as to release the arms 20, 21. Now arms 20 and 21 can be pivoted for retracting disks 12 and 13 from the access openings 15 and 16 in housing 1. After releasing fasteners 34, 35, disks l2 and 13 are slipped off their respective spindles in up direction. Please note that motors and gears are disposed below the disks so that no impediment prevents easy replacement of the disks. Newly placed disks 12 and 13 may be adjusted as to height on the pass by means of washers such as 36 and 37. Particularly, the disks l2 and 13 should have their (horizontal) center planes traverse the center line between the rolls in the pass.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but all changes and modifications thereof not constituting departures from the spirit and scope of the invention are intended to be included.

We claim:

1. In a diagonal rolling mill having a stand on a mill floor and a pair of rolls in a housing, the rolls being inclined to the axis of rolling in the pass as well as to each other, the improvement comprising:

the rolls of the pair arranged one above the other relative to the mill floor, the roll housing having lateral access openings for access to the pass from opposite sides;

a pair of guide disks each having an axis disposed in vertical orientation;

two pivot arms respectively for journalling the guide disks and being pivotably connected to the housing, one on each side of the pass for pivoting on vertical axes and for displacing the disks in horizontal direction in the level of and laterally with respect to the pass, towards and away therefrom upon pivoting of the arms in one or the opposite direction, so that the disks respectively reach into the pass through said openings for engaging a billet when worked in the pass by the rolls or are removed from such engagement;

means for pivotally adjusting the arms for adjustment of the disks as to engagement with the billet and for holding the arms in an adjusted disposition, wherein the disks engage the billet;

means for releasably locking the arms in an adjusted disposition, the arms upon being released being permitted to swing the disks out of engagement with the billet; and

drive means on the arms for driving the disks.

2. In a rolling mill as in claim 1, wherein the disks are removably seated on and secured to spindles which are 30 journalled in the arms.

3. In a rolling mill as in claim 1, the arms extending alongside the housing and respectively pivoted with one of their ends on the housing, on the outside thereof, and to one side of the respective opening along the pass, the means for locking being operative at the other free ends of the arms and to the other side of the respective opening along the pass, the disks being journalled on the arms, between the free ends and the pivoted ends, to reach through the openings, upon unlocking the other ends of the arms the arms can be pivoted away from the rolling axis.

4. In a rolling mill as in claim 3, including means for adjusting the position of the pivot ofthe arms along the housing.

5. In a rolling mill as in claim 1, there being means for driving the disks at a speed so that the value of the peripheral speed of the disks is about the fourfold value of the speed of the billet in the pass during rolling. 

1. In a diagonal rolling mill having a stand on a mill floor and a pair of rolls in a housing, the rolls being inclined to the axis of rolling in the pass as well as to each other, the improvement comprising: the rolls of the pair arranged one above the other relative to the mill floor, the roll housing having lateral access openings for access to the pass from opposite sides; a pair of guide disks each having an axis disposed in vertical orientation; two pivot arms respectively for journalling the guide disks and being pivotably connected to the housing, one on each side of the pass for pivoting on vertical axes and for displacing the disks in horizontal direction in the level of and laterally with respect to the pass, towards and away therefrom upon pivoting of the arms in one or the opposite direction, so that the disks respectively reach into the pass through said openings for engaging a billet when worked in the pass by the rolls or are removed from such engagement; means for pivotally adjusting the arms for adjustment of the disks as to engagement with the billet and for holding the arms in an adjusted disposition, wherein the disks engage the billet; means for releasably locking the arms in an adjusted disposition, the arms upon being released being permitted to swing the disks out of engagement with the billet; and drive means on the arms for driving the disks.
 2. In a rolling mill as in claim 1, wherein the disks are removably seated on and secured to spindles which are journalled in the arms.
 3. In a rolling mill as in claim 1, the arms extending alongside the housing and respectively pivoted with one of their ends on the housing, on the outside thereof, and to one side of the respective opening along the pass, the means for locking beinG operative at the other free ends of the arms and to the other side of the respective opening along the pass, the disks being journalled on the arms, between the free ends and the pivoted ends, to reach through the openings, upon unlocking the other ends of the arms the arms can be pivoted away from the rolling axis.
 4. In a rolling mill as in claim 3, including means for adjusting the position of the pivot of the arms along the housing.
 5. In a rolling mill as in claim 1, there being means for driving the disks at a speed so that the value of the peripheral speed of the disks is about the fourfold value of the speed of the billet in the pass during rolling. 